The secret behind Hollywood's sudden, startling success

A sudden, substantial surge in popularity for Hollywood films counts as one of the most startling developments in the first half of 2002. At a time of economic uncertainty – with most forms of popular entertainment suffering from sharply declining public support – the American people made motion pictures a glorious exception, buying 16 percent more tickets than they did last year.

Unlike misleadingly optimistic numbers about increases in "box office dollars" from prior years – which reflected mostly higher ticket prices rather than a growing audience – 2002 offers unequivocal evidence of more people making more trips to the multiplex – a projected 240 million more trips by the end of the year.

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This development provokes both celebration – and confusion – among entertainment insiders, since no one can offer a persuasive explanation for Hollywood's stunning success. An analysis in the business section of the New York Times tried to associate the turn around with the frightening events of Sept. 11. A sub-headline for the piece wittily observed that "when the going gets tough, the tough get popcorn." The article quoted George F. Custen, professor of cinema studies at the City University of New York, who suggested that "maybe it really is that simple: People like to escape during a crisis."

This convenient explanation falls apart, however, in the light of the exceptional status of motion pictures.

Granted, that Americans felt terrified by last year's terrorist attacks, and that it's a natural impulse to embrace cinematic fantasies as means of forgetting real-life troubles. But wouldn't it make sense that Americans would prefer to watch such diversions in the safety of their own homes – especially with the increased distribution of DVD and home theatre equipment – rather than venturing out among crowds at the local multiplex? As a matter of fact, Scott Hetrick, editor in chief of Video News, told the New York Times that, so far this year, sales and rentals of both DVDs and videos have dropped about 2 percent.

At the same time, the major television broadcasting networks have all registered dramatic declines in viewership, magazine and book sales went down sharply, and spending on CDs and other forms of recorded music suffered painful retreats. The crowds also grew more sparse at many sporting events and leading theme parks. Among all popular forms of escape, only motion pictures have been attracting larger audiences.

There's an obvious explanation for this exceptional success, though few pop culture potentates deign to cite it. Movies have re-connected with a mass audience by offering more family friendly alternatives – finally following advice that I (and others) provided more than a decade ago. My 1992 book "Hollywood vs. America" compiled statistics proving that "R-rated," adults-only movies attracted smaller audiences and lower profits than "G" or "PG-rated" general audience material.

The most dramatic audience decline in movie history – 2 billion annual admissions down to 920 million annual admissions – occurred between 1960 and 1970, at precisely the moment that Hollywood eliminated the restrictive old "Production Code" and opened floodgates to graphic sex, harsh language and intense violence. There is simply no other reason that this decade – more than 10 years after the advent of television – would witness the national movie audience cut in half.

Hollywood's recent de-emphasis on R-rated fare has helped to win back some of the skeptical, disillusioned American families who fled from motion pictures some 30 years ago. Nearly all releases that have led the way at the box office in 2002 have been, in one sense or another, family oriented – including "Harry Potter" and "Lord of the Rings" (profitable carry-overs from 2001), "Spider-Man," "Star Wars Episode 2," "Ice Age," "Scooby-Doo" (despite its unspeakably low quality) and, most recently, "Lilo & Stitch." This follows the extraordinary success of kid-friendly fare in 2001, when five different titles ("Shrek," "Monsters, Inc." "Spy Kids," "The Princess Diaries" and "Harry Potter") each earned more than $100 million at the box office.

Later this summer, "Spy Kids 2," "Stuart Little II" and other releases will try to tempt family audiences. We have come a long way, in other words, from the days when the summer provided only one or two kiddie-oriented animated features in a welter of edgy offerings aimed at hormone-addled teenagers.

This doesn't mean Hollywood has suddenly embraced traditional values, but it does suggest an attempt to serve a broader, middle-American audience – including, even, middle-aged parents. Such movie industry efforts stand in contrast to other forms of entertainment – where television, magazines, concerts and recorded music all seem smuttier, grittier than ever before. Among the general decline in consumer book sales (down 5.6 percent), only one category showed notable growth: religious books (up 2.4 percent).

In the midst of all the gloating and self-congratulation about its current success, it's important that Hollywood understands the reasons for the mystifying turnaround. Without such understanding, the healthy trends of the moment may prove fleeting and reversible – and sullen filmgoers may feel frustrated once again about the absence of entertainment that reflects – or even respects – the traditional values that most Americans still share.